Head north out of Christchurch and within
30 minutes or so you’ll hit the Waipara wine region. We’re half
way down the South Island here, so the climate is quite cool.
Fortunately the region is protected from the chilly ocean winds by a
small mountain range, or viticulture here would be even more
difficult than it already is: some years flowering can still be
badly affected by cool weather and windy conditions, and then yields
can be tiny.

But this is a pretty good place to grow
wine grapes. The soils are free draining, rich in gravel and stones,
and naturally low in fertility. You might not get huge yields, but
you get great high-end wines.

Pegasus Bay is owned by the Donaldson
family, and winemaking is in the hands of Matthew Donaldson (son of
the founder) and his wife Lynnette Hudson. The speciality here is
Riesling, which is superb, but they also make highly regarded Pinot
Noir.